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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26602576">Undercover</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/canterofmysinnings/pseuds/canterofmysinnings'>canterofmysinnings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barlliams Songfic Challenge 2018-2020+ [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Take That (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Friendship (Robbie-Tony), Drunken Flirting, Drunkenness, Happy Ending, Hijacking a live show, Kitchen Jobs, Love Confession, M/M, Party, Repressing Emotions, Suggestive Flirting, True Identity Reveal, Verbal Abuse, alcohol consumption, fake identity, moderate angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:55:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,318</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26602576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/canterofmysinnings/pseuds/canterofmysinnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Robbie is hosting a significant party to celebrate the release of his latest single Millennium.<br/>Due to fighting with Gary, Gary of course isn't invited, but some of Robbie and Gary's common friends are.<br/>Gary is wallowing in self-pity and regret and wants nothing more than reconciliation.<br/>Desperate to convince Robbie to like him again, Gary crashes Robbie's celebration through a cunning security loophole.<br/>Robbie, however, is skeptical.<br/>Let's see what a few drinks can do...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gary Barlow/Robbie Williams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barlliams Songfic Challenge 2018-2020+ [15]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1926196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Undercover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is part 15 of my Transfer from Wattpad series, as well as my year-long Barlliams Songfic challenge.<br/>Originally published at: 21/06/2018<br/>Originally inspired by the song: Millennium</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>September 1998</p>
<p>It was the day of the Millennium party, and Robbie was revisiting his guest list for the party with his best friend Tony. <br/>
Since the split with Take That and the feud with his previous best friend Gary, Tony had been there for him and had quickly taken Gary's place. <br/>
Robbie was in a quite spiteful mood, though he was sure that Gary wouldn't make it tonight, especially as he weren't invited. He just had an unsettling feeling that something was to happen tonight. <br/>
"I do hope you haven't secretly put Gary on the guest list?" Robbie wondered, going through the dozens of names. <br/>
"No, Robbie, never in a million years." Tony swore. <br/>
"Pff, good." Robbie dismissed as he made sure that Gary's make was entirely off the list. <br/>
Him and Tony walked towards the main entrance to the building the party was held in as they heard the first guests arriving. <br/>
Robbie told Tony to hold his drink and smile invitingly while he handled the situation. <br/>
Trying to hide the turmoil he had inside and an uncomfortable gut feeling, he courteously greeted his guests. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, it's lovely to see you here."</p>
<p>
  <b>Outside the building</b>
</p>
<p>Gary arrived in front of the building Robbie's party was to take place in a little past five in the afternoon. <br/>
He had taken any and all precautions to hide his real identity. He had borrowed a car from his friend and let his own stay at home. <br/>
He had also been granted permission to borrow his actor friend's caterer costume and a plate of fresh fruit. The two friends figured out that if Gary had his hands full, Robbie couldn't press hands with him and recognise him.</p>
<p>After Gary had checked in the car window that everything sat just right, he cautiously continued the walkway to the building, which had been equipped with a grandiose red carpet. <br/>
<em>'Jesus, Robbie really has outdone himself' </em>Gary thought to himself as he walked up the carpet, increasingly nervous trying to remember his friend's best acting tips. <br/>
The dozens of guests moved surprisingly quickly and soon Gary found himself in front of the man that once was his life, and now his greatest enemy.</p>
<p>Sweat trickled down his face as he prepared himself for the acting that was to come. <br/>
Robbie looked at Gary in disguise. <br/>
He tilted his head slightly and gestured Tony to get him his drink. <br/>
Robbie squinted his eyes and took a sip. <br/>
"Do I know you?" Robbie asked cooly, clearly suspicious. <br/>
"I don't know... I'm just your caterer... I was on the team you hired, but sick when you were there to inspect... You remember?" <br/>
Robbie took another sip while thinking. <br/>
"Maybe. Makes sense. But tell me Mr., where are you from?" <br/>
Gary's sweating increased as he figured his alias was seconds from being revealed. <br/>
"Frodsham." Gary said, which was the only truth in a net of lies. <br/>
"I thought so. You know why? Because the man I hate the most in this world is from there. It's funny how you speak just like him. Ew." He grimaced. <br/>
Gary turned pale as it felt like his heart tumbled down into his stomach. <br/>
His salvation was Tony, which stopped Robbie in his tracks. <br/>
Tony nudged Robbie in his side. <br/>
Gary looked on anxiously as he started to struggle to carry the heavy basket. <br/>
"Come on Robbie, let him in, it's obviously a staff member, we have more important things to tend to!"<br/>
Robbie looked at Gary one last time and shook his head. <br/>
Looking into Gary's eyes, he apologised. <br/>
"I'm so sorry for mistaking you for someone else. I thought I knew you, but I apparently don't. My deepest apology."<br/>
Gary felt it become really tough to keep on eye contact as the words plummeted straight into his heart like sharp knives. <br/>
"I... It's okay. Have a great party Ro... Sir."<br/>
Robbie wrote Gary's slip up off as nothing as he returned his attention to the party guests.</p>
<p>Gary finally made it inside the party. Now the challenge was to find out where the kitchen was, to successfully pretend he worked there. <br/>
It proved a challenge indeed and Gary almost attracted the attention of a group of party guests as he stumbled around trying to find the kitchen. <br/>
As he walked helplessly around, he spotted Robbie and Tony from before walking past him. <br/>
As a last resort, he decided to try to get Robbie's attention and make out an excuse for not being able to find the kitchen straight away.</p>
<p>"Ro... Mr. Williams!" He called out, blushing of embarrassment when he realised his silly mistake. <br/>
Robbie promptly turned around with a confused expression. <br/>
Immediately recognising Gary's accent out of the many London and Stokes, he faced his caterer aquintance from Frodsham.<br/>
"You called?" <br/>
Gary felt his heart was ready to stop right then and there as he looked at Robbie's face and saw nothing but mildness and decency. <br/>
"Yes I... Can't find the kitchen."<br/>
Robbie chuckled lightly. "I thought you were hired here?"<br/>
Tony looked on awkwardly, shifting his glance from Gary to Robbie. <br/>
"I should've told you, sorry... I'm new here, don't have much experience."<br/>
Robbie felt endeared at caterer Gary's awkwardness. He had hired the place expecting professionalism, but now one of the staff members was revealed to be a newbie, he actually didn't mind all that much. <br/>
"I can show you the kitchen, it's this way." Robbie gently said and gently lead Gary further into the party room. <br/>
"You don't have to call me Mr. Williams by the way, you can just call me Robbie."<br/>
Gary felt his heart ache again as his former closest friend in the world introduced himself to Gary, as he was thought Gary was a stranger. If he only knew.</p>
<p>As Robbie opened the door to the kitchen, he looked at Gary again. "What's your name?"<br/>
Gary froze momentarily as he tried to make up a fake name. <br/>
"Ehh... It's Mathias. But I go by Matt."<br/>
Robbie shrugged. "That's nice, Matt."</p>
<p>As the door was opened by Robbie now, Gary was faced with a solid fourteen pairs of eyes glued on him. <br/>
Gary condemned his own stupidity as he realised that his uniform looked nothing like the other people in the kitchen. <br/>
Robbie was unaffected, as he was thinking about the party and not the striking difference. <br/>
"Good luck Matt, just let me know if you need anything." Robbie warmly said, which made Gary's head well near spin as Robbie closed the door on him. <br/>
A couple of staff members started to whisper in Italian, everyone still looking at him as if he was zoo animal. <br/>
A tanned man with black grey-tinted hair looked at him with an extremely scrutinising glance. <br/>
"You, buffone! Who do you think you are walking into our kitchen? You clearly don't belong here. You don't even wear the uniform our staff wears. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't call the guards on you, right now."</p>
<p>Gary panicked at the threat. "Kind Sir, you have to understand... I have a very good reason to be here... And that is because I am planning a surprise for Robbie at his party that requires me to dress up... Robbie's friends approved of me! I swear I'm not here to disturb your work!"</p>
<p>The same man as before, which Gary read as the kitchen headmaster, scoffed loudly. <br/>
"Alright mate, but don't think you can sit in a corner and laze it. You have to get up and help us, and I swear you will work as hard as the two other caterers who get paid for their work. The difference is just that you will not make a single penny. Off you go!"</p>
<p>Gary had no choice but to give in to the kitchen chief. He could tell he wasn't a man to be messed with. <br/>
The man wouldn't stop bothering Gary in particular, because he was stressed and messed things up. <br/>
"Oh, and you over there... Get changed into our official kitchen wear."</p>
<p>
  <b>Later that evening, around eleven in the evening</b>
</p>
<p>As the evening went on, it became evident to Gary that Robbie had received quite a bit to drink. <br/>
Gary was also getting worn out from carrying so many things around as he was rather shape and hadn't worked out for a while. <br/>
It was dark and stormy outside, and one time during the evening lightning struck, frying the dance lights in the room which induced a great panic until Gary was shown how to put on the emergency power generator.</p>
<p>Robbie had been on stage with Tony multiple times. He had some songs from his album and his single Millennium, done a Thank you speech and even had a live musician insult Gary. <br/>
Robbie still had no idea that his new caterer friend was Gary, which was proved one for all as Robbie invited Gary to sit down for a drink while the live musician was setting up to play. <br/>
Gary had initially refused, but Robbie argued that the rest of the kitchen staff had gone home which made Gary feel safe enough to receive a drink next to Robbie. <br/>
Robbie, being the host of the party, had the most luxurious view of the stage which Gary soon realised. <br/>
"Drink up, mate." Robbie grinned as he poured Gary some bubbles. <br/>
Gary took a sip. <br/>
The champagne tasted well, but the thought of Robbie buying it with money he earned while he hated him, made him choke up a bit. <br/>
Robbie pointed to the musician who sound checked.<br/>
"See him? That's my mate Milly. He's booked tonight to play a very special number."<br/>
Gary felt his throat dry out to an extent that no alcohol could ever solve. <br/>
"What's that about?" He gulped, unsure of what was to come. <br/>
Robbie poured himself and Gary another generous glass of bubbles. <br/>
"Well, so my all time enemy Gary Barlow - I don't know if ya know him, he's a bag of crap - I've heard from an insider he he's writing this ridiculous song about me, so I guess this is my kind of reply to him." Robbie shrugged, then leant in. <br/>
"Pardon me, Matt... So do you even know what I'm going on about? That I'm fighting like cat and dog with Gary Barlow?" <br/>
Gary gulped as it became really hard to keep up the undercover act. <br/>
"Yes, I do know about your feud... So intense." Gary replied awkwardly as Robbie started to lean in closer as he had ever imagined. <br/>
"Which side are you on?" Robbie purred into Gary's ear. By now Gary realised that Robbie was actually hitting on him. He sat still, considering what to do.<br/>
"I'm more on the Gary Barlow side, to be honest..." Gary whispered back.<br/>
Robbie turned away slightly, but not much.<br/>
"Aww, what a shame... You still look good though. I noticed you've changed clothes, want me to help you change them back?" Robbie flirted directly at Gary.<br/>
Gary breathed in deeply at Robbie's advance.</p>
<p>The musician grabbed the microphone which sent a jarring sound through the room and grabbed Gary and Robbie's attention in an instant. <br/>
"Ladies and gentlemen. The star of the night Robbie Williams has requested me to do this song for you all. The song is from the album and is called No Regrets. You've probably heard it before, but this is my version-" <br/>
Gary broke free of Robbie's grasp and got up in front of everyone. <br/>
"STOP! PLEASE STOP!" Gary shouted to the musician Milly.<br/>
Gary could feel both Robbie and Milly's petrified glances at him as he walked to the stage and grabbed the microphone from the microphone stand. <br/>
"Please keep calm everybody, I just need to say one thing."<br/>
A very dissatisfied Milly backed off as Gary hijacked the performance. <br/>
"Robbie, I just need to say that I am not who you think you are."<br/>
Gary took off his handkerchief and threw it in the lap of a baffled Robbie. <br/>
"My name is not Matt... My name is Gary."<br/>
Gary breathed audibly. <br/>
"I'm the one you insulted all evening. I'm the one you seduced while downplaying me and verbally spitting in my face." <br/>
Gary took off his kitchen shoes and threw them down to Robbie in front of Robbie's feet. <br/>
"You found my alter ego so attractive that you forgot that you were fighting with me. I'm asking myself why." <br/>
Gary inhaled again, feeling his legs failing him as he dropped to the floor. As he sat on the floor, he continued. <br/>
"I'm asking myself why you hold on to an idea of me that isn't true anymore."<br/>
Gary removed his kitchen cap to reveal his light chestnut hair and this time, he edged to Robbie's place and dropped off the cap in front of him. <br/>
"I'm rethinking my entire life, Robbie. I'm hurt, but I want you to know that we can live this behind. It will take two. It'll take you and me."<br/>
He unbuttoned his white kitchen shirt to reveal a deep red t-shirt. <br/>
"Please tell me Robbie, do you want to reconcile and leave the hurt behind?" <br/>
He looked directly at Robbie. <br/>
Robbie sighed.<br/>
"Yes." He mouthed silently. <br/>
"Louder, please." Gary asked, lowering his voice. <br/>
"YES!" Robbie burst out. "I still love you. I tell myself that I love to hate you, but it's not true. I'm living in an illusion. I'm lying to myself. I still love you... Gaz."<br/>
At these words, Gary dropped the microphone at the scene floor. <br/>
He walked down to Robbie again and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. <br/>
"Can we talk in private?" <br/>
Robbie nodded. "I know a place."</p>
<p>Milly got the hint and started to play again as the two men left. <br/>
Gary and Robbie's hearts already felt lighter as they knew it would be alright again soon. </p>
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